Royal bodyguard Graham Craker, who died on April 2, would be "horrified" by rift between Prince Harry and Prince William, according to an insider.
The former Metropolitan Police officer, who protected Princes William and Harry for 15 years, was fondly nicknamed 'Crackers' by the two princes during his service until 2001.
A former Metropolitan Police royal bodyguard told the Mail that Craker would be "horrified about the rift between the princes".
The colleague described how Craker embraced the role of "protector and pseudo-parent" to the brothers, especially after they were sent to boarding school and lost their mother.
Royal bodyguard Graham Craker, who died on April 2, would be "horrified" by rift between Prince Harry and Prince William, according to an insider
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Craker was with William and Harry at Balmoral on the day Princess Diana died in 1997.
He later recalled the emotional moment of seeing William the morning after: "I saw William walking his dog outside, and I walked up to him and said, 'I'm very, very sorry to hear your bad news.'"
Craker had faced his own tragedy six years earlier when his wife Carole Ann died in 1991 at age 42 after battling depression.
News of her death had left Princess Diana "very upset" for him and his family, according to reports.
Prince William and Harry are understood not to be no speaking terms
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In the years following Diana's death, Craker remained a reassuring presence for the princes, even accompanying them on a rollercoaster at Alton Towers in 1994.
He was a guest at Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding in 2011, a decade after retiring as a royal bodyguard.
Craker was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order by the late Queen Elizabeth II and made a Freeman of the City of London.
After his royal service, he worked with charities in Ware, including serving as a trustee for Always Bee You, which supports adults with learning disabilities and mental health issues.
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REUTERSHis sons Matthew and James are now grieving their father, describing him as "Our hero, our rock".
"Words can't describe the pride we feel in how he lived his life so selflessly, not only in his professional career but in his personal life, right up to the very end," they said.
The Southern Maltings creative centre, where Craker volunteered, paid tribute to him as "our very own James Bond" in a Facebook post.
"He will be remembered for his laugh, his warmth and the way he always just wanted to help people," they wrote.
